20 December 2015. A Point to Ponder From Leonardo da Vinci

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Do you see? Do you see if someone points it up for you? Do you refuse to see? Yes… where do you fall?

BMD

24 February 2013. You Can’t Make Up Shit Like This… Femen Activists Go Topless to Protest Berlusconi at Italian Polling Station

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On Sunday, RAI News reported that activists of the women’s rights group FEMEN went topless at a polling station in Milano when ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi arrived to vote in the Italian general election. Three activists of the Ukrainian feminist group lunged at Berlusconi as he arrived at the polling station. The women held a topless protest, wearing only jeans, under the slogan “Basta Berlusconi” (Enough of Berlusconi). Two Ukrainian and one French woman participated in the protest, AGI reported. Police quickly arrested the activists; they struggled to put jackets and handcuffs on the women. The Italian parliamentary elections, which many see as crucial for the country’s effort to address its economic problems, kicked off on Sunday. Recent estimates gave a lead to Pier Luigi Bersani‘s centre-left alliance, thought to be a few points ahead of the centre-right bloc led by three-time premier Berlusconi. The Ukrainian radical feminist movement FEMEN began in 2008; it devotes itself mainly to protests on women’s issues. Later, the group made headlines for pro-democracy and anti-corruption protests in Russia, the Ukraine, and London.

24 February 2013

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/world/20130224/179657491/Femen-Activists-Strip-in-Berlusconi-Protest-at-Italys-Polls.html

Editor’s Note:

Why do we give such jerks publicity? Is humanity so hungry for “T & A?” In fact, the FEMEN women cheapen their protests with their topless antics. The cops should arrest such sorts and journalists shouldn’t mention it. It’s cheap all the way ‘round, and I’m not alone in thinking that. NO… I’m NOT a censorious blue-nosed “Evangelical” right-wing busy-body… I’m a “live n’ let live” leftist Orthodox Christian who doesn’t go out looking for witches to burn (unlike the Monomakhos set and the HOOMies). There are standards of decency, and (c’mon) we all know them. That’s the way it is…

BMD  

Kustodiev Painting Sold for 7 Million Dollars in London

The Coachman

Boris Kustodiev

1920

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A View of Isla di San Giorgio in the Venetian Lagoon

Ivan Aivazovsky

1844

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 In London, Christie’s sold Boris Kustodiev’s masterpiece The Coachman for 7 million USD (217.4 million Roubles. 5.4 million Euros. 4.4 million UK Pounds), breaking the old price record regarding his works. The 250th auction “The Masterpieces of Russian Art”, timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Russian Christie’s trading auctions is still underway. The painting went to a private buyer from Europe who took part in the trading by phone. Earlier, MacDougall’s auction house sold Ivan Aivazovsky’s painting A View of Isla di San Giorgio in the Venetian Lagoon for 1.62 million USD (50.3 million Roubles. 1.25 million Euros. 1.02 million UK Pounds). Currently, a week of Russian art auctions is underway in London.

26 November 2012

Voice of Russia World Service

http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_11_26/Kustodiyevs-painting-sold-for-7-million-dollars/

Editor’s Note:

Kustodiev’s most colourful and “happiest” paintings were made after he was confined to a wheelchair in 1916. He was also a convinced supporter of the Soviets and an Orthodox Christian. What’s not to like? He was a decent man, a cheerful human being, a lover of justice, and a real Christian… that’s the ticket for me. Sadly, he died young in 1927 at the age of 49… but he was happy to the end, may we all die so well.

BMD

Italian Rail Workers Announce National 24-hour Strike

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On Tuesday, local media reported that Italian railway workers announced a national 24-hour strike, and that municipal public transport workers are expected to join them later. The strike, which began at 21.00 local time on Monday (05.00 2 October AEDT. 23.00 MSK. 20.00 UTC. 15.00 EDT. 12.00 PDT), was organised by labour unions protesting against the stagnation in talks on the national trade contract that expired in December of 2007. Operators and drivers of municipal buses, metro trains, and trams will join the rail workers on Tuesday and the time of their strikes will vary from city to city. For instance, in Rome, the metro, trams, and buses will stop at 08.30 local time (16.30 AEDT. 10.30 MSK. 07.30 UTC. 02.30 EDT. 23.30 1 October PDT) until 17.30 (01.30 3 October AEDT. 19.30 MSK. 16.30 UTC. 11.30 EDT. 08.30 PDT). They’ll resume work during rush hour, but will stop again at 20.00 (04.00 3 October AEDT. 22.00 MSK. 19.00 UTC. 14.00 EDT. 11.00 PDT).

2 October 2012

RIA-Novosti

http://en.ria.ru/business/20121002/176351203.html